Answering why Southampton are now conceding so many goals

When you include Wednesday's 3-0 defeat to Liverpool in the FA Cup, the total conceded increases to 16.

Russell Martin has regularly described the goals his side have given up as “rubbish” or “freak goals."

Southampton had only conceded 13 goals in their 21 league games prior to a 5-3 win over Huddersfield Town.

The drop in their defensive solidity has seen them lose three matches, costing them vital points in a tight promotion race.

Of the three games Saints have won during this seven-game run, they’ve had to do two of them the hard way having conceded three times.

Here we dissect all 16 goals Saints have conceded across this tricky patch of form...

What did we learn?

• Saints are susceptible to conceding after a switched pass or long ball that catches them out.
• Saints are slow to react when an initial shot is saved by the goalkeeper or comes back off the woodwork.
• Saints have been slow to close players down and are too drawn to the ball, leaving attackers free to shoot.

Birmingham 3 Southampton 4

Southampton's latest win against Birmingham was one of those games where they had to do it the hard way.

Saints fell behind twice and were later pegged back by a 10-man Blues side before securing three points with an injury-time Joe Aribo winner.

Goal 1 - Scored by Koji Miyoshi

Birmingham’s first goal on Saturday came from a long ball which switched the play, bypassing Southampton’s midfield and catching Ryan Manning narrow.

Southampton's backline had shifted across to the right - where the pass came from - leaving Japanese international Koji Miyoshi in plenty of space.

Left-back Ryan Manning has shifted across with Southampton's defence, leaving Koji Miyoshi in space to score (Image: EFL)

While Miyoshi appeared to control the ball with his arm, Manning's narrow position prevented him from getting across in time to prevent the shot.

Here, Manning is doing his job, but it leaves Bazunu helpless to what is a very good finish from the 26 year old winger. 

Koji Miyoshi fires past Gavin Bazunu before Ryan Manning can get across to cut out the shot (Image: EFL)

Goal 2 - Scored by Jay Stansfield

After scoring a brilliant team goal to draw level, Saints conceded another goal of their own making.

Once again they fall victim to a long ball. Dion Sanderson pumps the ball with Jan Bednarek's flick-on allowing Jay Stansfield to race through on goal.

Jan Bednarek's failed clearance header flicks the ball through for Jay Stansfield to score (Image: EFL)

Manning is also caught flatfooted and too close to his Polish teammate.

Once Bednarek's flicks header falls into his path Stansfield is expected to break through on goal. 

Goal 3 - Scored by Juninho Bacuna 

Despite having a man and goal advantage, Martin's side took their foot off the gas and allowed the hosts to get themselves back into the game. 

Ethan Laird, who played under Martin at MK Dons and Swansea City, is allowed to make up 20 yards before cutting back for Stansfield, who fires onto the post.

Ethan Laird skips past Ryan Manning before cutting the ball back to Jay Stansfield, who strikes the post (Image: EFL)

Bacuna, who has positioned himself between Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Sam Edozie, reacts quickest. He takes half a second to set himself. 

While the other two goals have come from players being caught out of position, this goal can be traced back to Laird gaining an easy entrance to the box. 

Juninho Bacuna sends a first time shot into the bottom corner after the ball strikes the post (Image: EFL)

Martin prides himself on having a side who work "relentlessly" to regain possession and here they were punished for giving the right-back too much space. 

Birmingham get a stroke of fortune that the ball strikes the post but you make your own luck.

Liverpool 3 Southampton 0

For the opening 60 minutes at Anfield against Liverpool, Southampton were excellent.

They should have been ahead, Sekou Mara and Kamaldeen Sulemana being unable to capitalise on chances costing them an early lead.

Despite their strong start, Martin's side went on to lose the game 3-0, with all three Liverpool goals being scored by teenagers.

Goal 1 - Scored by Lewis Koumas

Liverpool's opener was also a stroke of luck, scored by Welsh youth ace Lewis Koumas, who is the son of former international Jason.

His effort takes a deflection off Bednarek's foot - which catches out Joe Lumley in the Saints net, who had already begun to move.

Goal 2 - Scored by Jayden Danns

Unlike Liverpool's opener, their second came courtesy of an error by Southampton.

Substitute Will Smallbone attempted to play a one-two with Manning but played his return pass behind his fellow Irish international.

Harvey Elliot reacted quickly to feed to Danns. The 18 year old, whose father, Neil, was also a pro, did not waste the chance and dinked in at the near post. 

Goal 3 - Scored by Jayden Danns

Here Southampton do not get out to Conor Bradley to prevent the Northern Ireland international from shooting with the outside of his foot.

Lumley is able to get a strong hand on it, but the ball falls straight to Danns, who makes no mistake.

Jayden Danns keeps his composure to shoot into an empty net after Joe Lumley's initial save (Image: FA Cup / ITV)

Southampton 1 Millwall 2

Saints totally dominated against Millwall at St Mary's but ultimately fell short against Neil Harris' side in his first game back in charge.

Harris even joked after the game about how much the hosts dominated the game.

Goal 1 - Scored by Japhet Tanganga

The Saints defence and goalkeeper Bazunu fails to deal with George Saville's free-kick delivery and Japhet Tanganga flicks in a header.

The goal was much to the frustration of Bazunu, who walks back to his goal without looking at his teammates.

Japhet Tanganga beats Gavin Bazunu the ball and scored the opener for Millwall (Image: EFL)Goal 2 - Scored by Zian Flemming

Millwall's second goal was scored from the penalty spot, so instead, we will take a look at how they won the spot kick.

Saints academy graduate Michael Obafemi's shot is clearly blocked by Bednarek's arm.

Michael Obafemi's shot strikes Jan Bednarek's arm, earning Millwall a penalty (Image: EFL)

Millwall's second does fall into what Martin describes as "freak goals" as it does not come from them carving Saints open nor did it follow a succession of chances.

Instead, it's an isolated moment that we have not previously seen this season and may not see again.

Southampton 1 Hull City 2

Saints took on Hull City fresh off the back of an impressive win 2-0 win over West Brom but were unable to maintain their momentum.

They fall behind to Liam Rosenior's side, which has since become a trend during this recent run.

Goal 1 - Scored by Anass Zaroury

A long ball from Hull goalkeeper Ryan Allsopp finds Ryan Giles in space high up the pitch.

Giles moved into the space in front of him before Hull shift the ball across to Jaden Philogene on the right. 

Ryan Giles receives a long pass from Ryan Allsopp to give Hull City a four-on-four attack (Image: EFL)

Hull make the most of their four-on-four attack. Philogene cracks an effort from the edge of the box, which Bazunu saves back into Anass Zaroury's path for an easy finish. 

The Morrocan international was not tracked by Kyle Walker-Peters, while Saints also had four players bunched up on the edge of the box.

Anass Zaroury fires past Gavin Bazunu for Hull's opener (Image: EFL)Goal 2 - Scored by Fabio Carvalho

Hull's second was a gift from Southampton. Joe Rothwell runs straight into Philogene as they try to play out from the back.

That allows the former Villa winger to feed Fabio Carvalho for a one-on-one finish. 

Bristol City 3 Southampton 1

Southampton were expected to win at Bristol City to maintain their unbeaten run. Instead, they conceded three and saw their chances of setting a new record ended.

Goal 1 - Scored by Sam Bell

Manning, Smallbone and Edozie simply do not do enough to prevent Anis Mehmeti from getting off a cross on the right.

Sam Edozie, Ryan Manning and Will Smallbone fail to deal with a one-two from Bristol City (Image: EFL)

The Albanian international's cross finds Sam Bell, who is marked by Walker-Peters, but has no problem scoring from close range.

Sam Bell makes no mistake from close range (Image: EFL)Goal 2 - Scored by Rob Dickie

The Robins' second came from a corner - the only corner goal Southampton have conceded during this run. Rob Dickie climbs highest to beat Bednarek and Smallbone.

Goal 3 - Scored by Harry Cornick

Southampton failed to learn from Bristol City's opener - and the other chances they did not take - and were once again hurt in the wide areas. Ross McCrorie's cross finds Harry Cornick and he drills in a low shot. 

Ross McCrorie crosses for Harry Cornick to drill a low shot past Gavin Bazunu (Image: EFL)

Southampton 5 Huddersfield 3 

Southampton's eight-goal thriller win over Huddersfield was the beginning of their defensive downfall. Having only conceded three goals in 2024 prior to that, they match that tally at St Mary's.

Goal 1 - Scored by Sorba Thomas

As we have just seen in the game against Bristol City, Saints have become prone to conceding from a low cross.

Here Jack Rudoni plays a ball across the ground to Sorba Thomas on the other side of the box.

The delivery goes through Harwood-Bellis and Smallbone, allowing the shot on goal, which Bazunu fails to save. Manning could also do more to prevent the shot.

Sorba Thomas is allowed to shoot under no pressure from Ryan Manning (Image: EFL)

Goal 2 - Scored by David Kasumu

Huddersfield's second goal is even worse. Saints fail to stop Thomas, who bursts through the midfield before laying the ball to David Kasumu on the right wing. Sorba Thomas receives the ball in the midfield (Image: EFL)Sorba Thomas gains entry into the box far too easily and plays the ball out to David Kasumu (Image: EFL)

Kasumu manages to power in despite a mass of Saints players rushing across to block the shot.

This is another example of Southampton's players being far too drawn to the ball.

Kasumu is lying in wait without anybody tracking him. Manning is occupied and needs support from the winger in front of him.

David Kasumu scored past five Southampton players who are trying to prevent his shot from hitting the net (Image: EFL)

Goal 3 - Scored by Alex Matos

Here we see another one of those 'fluke goals'.

While it's true that they should close Alex Matos down much quicker than they do - David Brooks, Smallbone and Walker-Peters all stand off him - his effort takes a massive deflection off Smallbone and leaves Bazunu with no chance.

Alex Matos is not closed down and is allowed to shoot on the edge of the box (Image: EFL)

To conclude...

As Martin has pointed out, Saints have conceded bad goals - oftentimes through their own errors.

However, there are some common trends - most notably not closing players down quickly enough.

While it is true that players will never be able to close down every chance, Saints have gotten worse at that recently.

Saints were "mean" to play against during their unbeaten run, allowing the opposition very few chances.

There has been a slight increase in the expected goals conceded per match. Across the last seven, opponents have averaged 1.23 xG (and have averaged 2.29 goals).

That is a minimal increase on the 1.08 xG Southampton's opponents have averaged all season.

But stats alone are unable to demonstrate that Martin's side are allowing teams better chances than they were previously.

The boss will be keen to ensure that is ended as we enter the last 11 games of the season.